Spider-Man: Semper Fi
by Captin Morgan92
Summary: What if Spider-Man joined the Marines at the age of 17? How would his training in the Corps affect his personality? His crime fighting? How will he juggle his life as Spider-Man and his life in the Corps? How will being deployed affect him? How will his friends and peers react? Join Peter Parker and his adventure as a crime fighter and a soldier where he will meet new friends. AU!
1. Never Forget

_**A/N: Hey everyone. Here's another fic that was in my head for a long time. As you have read the summary it's about an AU Peter Parker but not too much. It is slightly Spectacular Spider-Man but with the comics mixed in. In short: Peter Parker joins the United States Marine Corp. I wondered what would happen if Peter Parker joined the Marine Corps. I'm not trying to disrespect the US military but I would like to give this a shot. His personality would be his cheery, nerdy personality mixed with his symbiotic personality but with no evil intentions. Anyway, on with the story! Please read the end author notes. I am not very familiar in the Marvel Universe.**_

 _ **Disclaimer: I don't own Spider-Man, Marvel, or anything used in this story. They belong to their owners: Disney and Marvel.**_

 _ **I apologize for any grammar mistakes or typos in advance! I will fix them later.**_

* * *

 _Parker Residence…_

Peter Parker, a boy who had messy brown hair and chocolate brown eyes, had awoken from his deep slumber as the alarm continued to blare nonstop. With his eyes wide open his vision was blurry. Without looking, his hand slammed down on the alarm to silence it for now. Peter sighed before he rose from his bed and reached for his glasses next to his alarm. Yawning, he hopped off the bed and went into the bathroom. Turning the knob of the door he entered and closed the door. He turned around and looked at himself in the mirror. His physique was embarrassing in his opinion. He was scrawny, skinny, and weak. It was only one week until his junior year will end and he will go on to become a senior. His intelligence made up for his scrawny and weak form but it didn't necessarily help him in situations involving Flash Thompson. The thought of the quarterback jock brought a frown to his face. Despite the frown, he was excited. For tomorrow, he will be attending the Oscorp field trip. Peter was looking forward to the field trip because science peaked his interest. Not wasting anymore time, Peter set out to begin his daily routine.

Within five minutes, Peter had already brushed his teeth, showered, and fixed his hair. Putting on a plain red shirt with some blue jeans he exited his room and rushed down the stairs. As he stepped onto the living room floor he had discovered his Aunt May and Uncle Ben were already eating breakfast.

"Good morning Uncle Ben, Aunt May." Peter greeted warmly as he approached the kitchen table and took a seat next to Uncle Ben. Aunt May had already prepared his breakfast: Scrambled Eggs, two Waffles, and two strips of bacon.

"Hey, kiddo!" Uncle Ben replied cheerfully. "Ready to go to that science field trip?"

"...Uncle Ben that's not until tomorrow." Peter deadpanned before picking up his fork and knife and began to cut his two waffles into multiple pieces.

"Oh..heheh, sorry. Must have forgot." Uncle Ben sheepishly rubbed the back of his neck. Uncle Ben then continued to eat his Pancakes while he eyed Peter. Peter glanced at a photo of his Mom and Dad, Richard and Mary Parker, on the kitchen counter. Every breakfast, every lunch, and every dinner, Peter would glance at the photo of his parents. In the photo, both of Peter's parents were dressed in the same military uniforms. His dad was decked in a desert camo uniform with the words ' _U.S Marines'_ displayed on his left breast pocket. On his right breast pocket, the word ' _Parker'_ was proudly shown. Peter's mother was wearing the exact same uniform his father was wearing. She also had the name ' _Parker'_ engraved on the right breast pocket. Both his mother and father were smiling at Peter.

Peter sighed before he continued to eat his breakfast. His actions did not go unnoticed by Aunt May and Uncle Ben.

"Peter," Aunt May spoke with a knowing voice, "your parents were very brave and smart. Just like you."

Peter simply gave a sigh in response to Aunt May's comment. He only barely had any memories of his parents. When the word 'parent' comes to mind his thoughts go to Aunt May and Uncle Ben. He guessed his parents dropped him off at Uncle Ben's and Aunt May's at around the age of three. He couldn't remember all the details but he did remember his mother crying and his father giving him a sad smile before they left. He remembered them in their U.S Marine uniforms. Then, after a week or so, Peter, Uncle Ben, and Aunt May attended the funeral of Richard and Mary Parker. He didn't remember much of the service except the many men and women who attended wearing Blue-White dress Marine uniforms. The men and women in uniform had stoic expressions but they showed hints of sadness at the loss of Gunnery Sergeant Richard Parker and Captain Mary Parker. He remembered the red and yellow stripes engraved on the several Marines who attended. He, Uncle Ben, and Aunt May sadly watched two Marines drape an American flag over the two caskets. The Parker family along with young Peter listened as the priest prayed for the two Marines killed in action. Soon, an honor guard team performed the twenty one gun salute. Peter could hear the rifles fire three volleys. Eventually, the priest said more words in which Peter didn't remember nor understand at the time and then an honor guard removed the two American flags from the casket and folded them. The three sadly watched the two caskets lower into the ground. Once it was done, two gravestones showed

 _ **Richard Parker**_

 _ **GySgt**_

 _ **U.S Marine Corps**_

 _ **Afghanistan**_

 _ **Jul 12 1970**_

 _ **Aug 8 2003**_

and

 _ **Mary Parker**_

 _ **Cpt**_

 _ **U.S Marine Corps**_

 _ **Afghanistan**_

 _ **Feb 15 1971**_

 _ **Sep 5 2003**_

Peter remembered that he had uncontrollably sobbed during the funeral while his Uncle and Aunt provided comfort.

When he enrolled in High School he asked his Uncle how his Parents met their fate. Uncle Ben gave a frown but nonetheless answered with ' _They were killed in action. They were shipped off to Afghanistan. I believe your father died on the battlefield while your mother died in a helicopter crash.'_

Peter had frowned at the information but nonetheless gave an appreciating nod to his Uncle Ben. Ever since he was informed of his parent's fate he started thinking of his career. He began thinking of joining the Marines just like his parents had. He read the requirements of being eligible to join the Marines. He discovered that he could join at the age of 17 with the consent of his parents or legal guardians, required a high school diploma, (In which he had already obtained but hasn't received one as he chose to wait to graduate with everyone else) take and pass the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery, pass a military entrance processing station medical exam, and meet physical, mental, and moral standards. Peter recently turned 17 a few weeks ago so he met one of the few requirements. He wasn't sure if his Uncle or Aunt would allow him so that requirement has yet to be met. He guessed he already had his High School diploma with his level of intelligence so that's one more requirement met. With his level of intelligence Peter could probably pass the ASVAB so that's another requirement he'll most likely meet. Unfortunately, Peter wouldn't be able to meet the physical, moral, and mental standards.

' _Guess I'll have to exercise the whole two weeks.'_ Peter thought with a frown. He looked up at his Uncle and Aunt who were pleasantly enjoying their meals.

' _Now or never._ '

"Uncle Ben? Aunt May?" Peter asked as he looked at them eat. Both raised their heads and made eye contact with Peter.

"Yes, dear?" Aunt May asked.

"Kiddo?" Uncle Ben asked.

Peter released a breath before continuing. "I-I—could I join the military? Specifically the Marines?"

His Uncle and Aunt gave a surprised face. They hadn't expected this to come from Peter.

"Bu-but Peter-" Aunt May began but she was cut off.

"I can join the Marines at the age of 17. I had my 17th birthday a few weeks ago. But I need your permission. Please?" Peter desperately pleaded his Aunt and Uncle. His face showed desperation.

"But Peter, don't you need your high school diploma?" Uncle Ben asked with a concerned face.

"Yeah, I do. But I probably earned that a long time ago." Peter replied in a matter-of-fact tone.

"Peter, are you sure? Do you know how much they're going to put you through? It's three months!" Aunt May's pleading voice reached Peter's ears.

"I'm sure," Peter gave a confident nod. "I-I want to be like my parents." He said in a soft voice. The last part silenced both guardians for a moment.

"But kiddo, you don't know how tough boot camp is. Are you sure?" Uncle Ben double-checked.

"Are you saying you don't believe in me?" Peter accused his Uncle with a hint of anger.

"N-no! No, Peter. None of that. It's just..." Uncle Ben trailed off.

"Just what then? What?!" Peter angrily demanded from his Uncle as he stood up from his chair.

"Peter calm down!" Aunt May's concerned voice said with a hint of fear.

"It's just—it's just a big decision. Are-are you willing to die for your country? Just like your parents?" Uncle Ben asked as he gazed into Peter's eyes.

"Yes! I'll gratefully die for my country! I want to be just like my parents, alright?!" Peter's enraged voice shouted. Then his voice lowered, "I-I just need your permission. Uncle Ben, Aunt May. I've been thinking about it...and I'm sure I want to do this. I want to protect the country—protect you."

Uncle Ben gave a long sigh, "We'll-we'll think about it. No guarantees but we'll think about it." Uncle Ben's eyes reached Aunt May's. Her face showed that they would discuss the matter.

"Thank you. That's all I ask." Peter gave a grateful look at his Uncle before taking his seat and continuing to eat his meal. Soon, Peter was finished with his breakfast and went to collect his book-bag before he rushed out the house. Once he left, Aunt May gave Uncle Ben a stern look.

"What?" Uncle Ben asked his wife.

"Ben, we can't let Peter go into the military! What good will it do if he can't see us or his friends for almost a year! You know that he's going to make sacrifices!"

"May, calm down. Peter's smart. I'm sure he's already taken that into consideration. Besides, he wanted to join the military for another reason."

"And what might that reason be?" Aunt May asked her husband.

Uncle Ben smiled, "The military would pay for a major amount for his college so he doesn't have to pay for too much. And you know how we don't have the money to pay for it."

"...I guess." May sighed in defeat but her concerned face still remained. "But if he does get deployed, I-I can't even imagine...We won't know if he will ever come home. That's what worries me Ben. He's putting his life on the line. Why not join the Air Force or the Coast Guard?" May asked her husband.

Ben sighed as he rubbed his chin. "Because May, his parents were both in the Marines. We know that he wants to be just like his parents. We both know that we're not his parents but he considers us parents." Ben stopped rubbing his chin and his frown was replaced with a warm smile.

"But Ben!"

"Shh." Ben hushed his wife. "We're going to talk to a Marine recruiter tomorrow and bring Peter along. He's of age as he said. I believe Peter should at least try. If he wants to join then I'm not stopping him. It's his choice." Ben wisely said before entering the living room, taking a seat on the couch, and grabbed the remote on the coffee table. May came and took a seat next to him.

"Trust me May," Ben softly spoke, "It's a family tradition. Richard served in the Marines. I served in the Marines. Now it's Peter's turn."

Ben embraced his wife to soothe her.

"...I hope you're right, dear." May replied before Uncle Ben turned on the TV with the remote.

* * *

 _With Peter Parker…_

Peter Parker walked down the empty sidewalks towards his bus stop. Shoving his hands in the pockets of his blue jeans he pondered about what life in the military would be like. Of course, Peter did his research. Following in his parents footsteps was not the only reason he wanted to join. As he researched further he found out that the military would pay the majority of his college expenses but Peter would pay what remained. He read the details of being deployed for a long period time, unable to see his family or friends. What worried Peter the most was that the physical and mental requirements in the Marines. Peter Parker was not in top physical shape, in fact, he was the opposite. If he wanted to join then he had to physically prepare in the one week. Based on his research, Peter concluded that boot camp would take place during summer as it lasted for about 13 weeks or about 3 months. Three months without Uncle Ben or Aunt May…

' _How am I supposed to join if I'm weak? Sure I'm smart but...how will I even survive a day in boot camp?'_ Peter wondered. He was so caught up in his thoughts that he didn't notice the school bus speed past him while the students laughed at him. Peter kept walking, not knowing he had missed the school bus.

After ten minutes of walking he raised his head with wide eyes. He quickly looked around and discovered that he was far away from his bus stop.

"Oh—son of a…!" Peter cursed.

 _ ***HONK***_

Peter jumped in mild surprise from the honk. He quickly looked to his left and found a police cruiser stop next to him. Peter looked through the front window and found a blonde haired, blue eye girl with glasses wearing a pink Hoodie and baggy brown pants. The window rolled down and the girl peeked her head out of the car.

"Pete! Need a ride?" The girl asked Peter. Peter looked at the driver seat and found a man in his mid thirties with white hair and the same blue eyes as the girl. The man was wearing a blue police uniform with a red tie, a police badge proudly showing on the left side of his chest.

"Gwen? O-oh. Yeah! Sure! I need a ride." Peter said with a sheepish look as he opened the back door of the police cruiser and took a seat. Once Peter closed the door the car began driving. Peter made himself comfortable in the back seat of the cruiser. The girl, Gwen, turned around from her seat and faced Peter.

"You missed the bus?" Gwen asked despite knowing the answer.

"Uh, yeah." Peter replied while he sheepishly scratched the back of his head. "Must have been lost in my thoughts as I walked."

"So, Peter," The driver, detective George Stacy, began. "I hear your going to that Oscorp field trip tomorrow." He stated and looked into the rear-view mirror.

"Yes, sir." Peter nodded in confirmation.

"You excited?" George Stacy asked.

"You bet!" Peter nodded so fast that Gwen worried his head might come off. Peter grinned.

"So, you've only got a week left of your junior year?"

"Yes," Both Peter and Gwen answered simultaneously causing George to raise his eyebrow and Peter and Gwen to look at each other.

"That boy Flash Thompson keep giving you trouble?" A concerned George Stacy asked Peter.

"Yeah..." Peter replied in a low voice. "But it's only a week left. No biggie. Today is Wednesday, right?"

"Yeah, today's Wednesday, Pete." Gwen answered his question.

After three minutes of driving, George Stacy pulled up his cruiser in front of Midtown High.

"Here we are, have a great day you two!" George Stacy bid farewell to both his daughter and Peter Parker.

"Bye dad!" Gwen waved at her father before opening her door.

"See ya, Mr. Stacy!" Peter said shortly after before opening his door, exited the vehicle, and closed it. Both Peter and Gwen walked into the courtyard and the police cruiser drove off down the street. Peter readjusted his strap on his bookbag and slung it over his shoulder. He turned to look at Gwen.

"You see Harry or MJ?"

"No." Gwen replied with a shake of her head before continuing to scan the crowd.

"Peter! Gwen!" A voice shouted from behind the two. Both Peter and Gwen turned around and faced a boy with red hair and brown eyes wearing a simple dark green t-shirt and black pants.

"Harry!" Peter approached the son of Norman Osborn with a smile with Gwen following. "How you doin'?"

"Eh, pretty good," Harry shrugged, "Since the school year is almost over. What do you have planned over break?"

"Uh...Not sure." Peter lied. Peter hoped both his Aunt and Uncle would allow him to enlist. Peter knew that boot camp would take place over summer.

"Gwen?"

"Probably going to study for senior year." Gwen replied.

"Are you serious? Gwen! Summer's all about fun and relaxing!" Harry said outrageously. Gwen shrugged in response causing Harry to sigh.

"Anyway, Harry, have you seen MJ lately?" Peter asked his best friend as he looked around for the redhead.

"Nope. Haven't seen her. Has Gwen?" Harry asked.

"I haven't seen her either. She's either running late or sick. Probably late." Gwen guessed.

"Oh well," Harry shrugged before coming in between Peter and Gwen and wrapped his right arm around Peter's neck and wrapped his left arm around Gwen's, "Now come on. Let's get through this school that I like to call a hellhole started."

"Uh, what?" Peter raised an eyebrow of amusement as the three walked back to the courtyard.

"Oh come on, don't tell me this school is a hellhole. With Flash and his goons running around asking for money." Harry said.

"Eh, kind of...hey Harry, why are you still between me and Gwen?"

"I don't know, why haven't you asked out MJ yet?" Harry asked with a smirk while Gwen slightly frowned.

"I don't kno—wait. What?!" Peter's face became as red as a tomato much to Harry's amusement. "W-what d-do y-you mean?"

"Aw come on," Harry removed his arms from the two, "It's obvious that you like her. So why not ask her out?"

"Huh?" Gwen frowned even more and eyed Peter. If one were to observe more closely her face showed hurt.

"Aw come on Gwenny, don't tell me that you didn't know." Harry said with a teasing smile.

"I-I actually didn't know." Gwen admitted in a soft voice, breaking her gaze away from Peter.

"Alright, fine," Peter's shoulders slumped in defeat, "Maybe I do like her a little bit."

"A little bit?" Harry scoffed and he placed a hand on his shoulder. "Come on, you like her a lot. Isn't she your next door neighbor or somethin'?"

"Yeah," Peter nodded and took a look at Gwen, curious of her reaction. He was confused as to why Gwen was frowning at them.

"Then ask her out! It's almost senior year and you don't want anyone else taking your girl, right?" Harry playfully asked his friend.

"...I'll ask her out," Peter sighed and was about to continue but Harry cut him off.

"YES!" Harry exclaimed while raising his fists in the air in victory.

"AFTER Summer." Peter finished. He was amused at how Harry's excited face slowly turned into a shocked one.

"WHAT?!" Harry bellowed incredulously, causing a few heads to turn. "NO! NO! PETE! YOU CAN'T DO THIS! IT'S ALMOST SUMMER AND YOUR WAITING UNTIL SENIOR!?"

"...Yup." Peter nodded in confirmation. Again, Peter was confused as to why Gwen frowned even more behind Harry.

"BUT WHY?" Harry whined like a child.

"What's the point of having a relationship over summer if I'm not going to be in Manhattan the whole summer?" Peter stated his logical reason.

"A whole Summer?" Gwen finally entered the conversation. "Pete, where are you going for the whole summer?"

"Yeah, the hell man? A whole summer? Away from Manhattan—away from us?!" Harry cried out in protest.

"Calm down, okay. A whole summer away from you isn't that bad." Peter playfully bashed Harry. Harry glared at Peter while Gwen quietly laughed.

"I don't even know where I'm going over summer. I don't even know IF I'm going." Peter admitted. The three didn't know it but during their conversation their feet guided them to the center water fountain. Peter sat down with the two following shortly after.

"Where you going? Disneyland? Las Vegas? Something?" Harry questioned Peter. Peter removed the strap of his book-bag from his shoulder and dropped the book-bag beneath his feet.

"Well, I don't know." Peter lied. Peter knew that he would be going to Parris Island, that is if his Aunt and Uncle allow him to. Peter hoped that they would allow him to enlist today: the sooner the better.

"How do you not know where you're going but you know how long you're leaving?" Harry deadpanned. Peter simply shrugged, drawing out a groan from Harry.

"So, video games a no go over summer?" Harry double-checked in a disappointed voice.

"A no go." Peter nodded.

"Man, that sucks." Harry folded his arms and pouted like a child.

"So we can't see movies over the summer?" Gwen asked softly. She had wanted to spend with more time with Peter over summer.

"Sorry, Gwen." Peter apologized and gave Gwen a sad smile.

"Ah, there you are! Hey guys!" A female voice broke them out of their momentarily sad state. The three looked up and found a redhead wearing a tight pink shirt and blue shorts. approaching them while making her way through several students.

"MJ!" All three exclaimed in joy simultaneously as the redhead closed in on them.

"Sorry, guys." The beautiful redhead apologized while lightly panting. "Kind of late. You know. That stuff, blah, blah, blah." She babbled.

"Ah, it's okay. Your not that late anyway. Besides," Harry gave a smug smile at Peter for a moment before returning to look at MJ, confusing and worrying Peter.

"My boy-"

"Your 'boy'?" Gwen repeated with an incredulous look while using air quotes. "Harry, you can't be serious."

"What?" Harry asked, feigning innocence.

"Are you acting like your one of those cool kids? Always saying their boy?" MJ questioned.

"Hey what's up guys. It's ya boy, Harry Osborn." Peter mocked Harry causing the two girls to laugh while Harry frowned.

"As I was saying," Harry continued once the two girls stopped laughing. Before he went on further he gave a smug look at Peter again before returning to look at MJ. "My boy Pete, has something to tell you. Go on Pete."

Peter gave Harry an incredulous look. Harry smirked in response.

"Something you want to tell me, _Tiger_?" MJ asked as she faced Peter. Peter gave a look of hate at Harry causing him to quietly snicker. Gwen frowned as she might know what Harry wanted Peter to do.

Peter managed not to blush at the nickname his beautiful redhead neighbor had given him. He faced her with her looking right back. He could practically hear Harry rubbing his hands in anticipation, like an evil maniac.

Peter sighed, "MJ, I..." Peter could hear his friend Harry whisper ' _Yes'_ repeatedly in anticipation. He rolled his eyes but nonetheless continued. "I...might be leaving for the whole summer."

Now it was Peter's turn to give a smug look at Harry. Harry's mouth was agape, Peter had wormed his way out of his trap!

"The whole summer?" Mary Jane repeated, sounding...disappointed?

' _No, no. Not disappointment.'_ Peter assured himself.

"Yeah, the whole summer." Peter confirmed.

"Well, I'll definitely miss you, _Tiger._ Where are you going anyway?" MJ asked.

"I don't know." Peter lied as he shrugged.

"You know how long you're going to be gone but you don't know where you're going?" MJ deadpanned.

"That's exactly what I said!" Harry threw his hands in the air in exasperation. Gwen quietly snickered as she looked on. "How can you know how long your going to be gone for and you don't know where your going to go?"

' _I know where I'm going Harry, it's just that I don't know if I'm going to go.'_ Peter thought.

"Hey, I told you. I don't even know if I'm going or not." Peter replied.

"Going or not? Where the hell are you going to go?" Harry asked as he clutched his head.

"I dunno." Peter carelessly replied with a small smile.

"Jesus H Christ!" Harry exclaimed, causing a few heads to turn once again. "Please—are you lying to us? To avoid us? Cause this sounds all too fishy," Harry accused Peter.

"Yeah, Pete. I agree with Harry. It does sound fishy." Gwen agreed with Osborn. Peter looked at MJ and saw her nod in agreement.

"Why would I lie to you guys? You guys are like my only friends." Peter said with a sigh, causing the other three to frown.

Suddenly, the warning bell rang, indicating that they had to get to their classes.

"Welp, I gotta get to Math. See ya!" Harry waved in good-bye as he walked into the school.

"I got to get to PE. See ya, _Tiger._ " MJ waved before following the students hustle in M3.

"Well, Gwen. We better get to English." Peter stated as he got up.

"Y-Yeah. Let's go." Gwen agreed. Both Gwen and Peter entered M3 with other students following as well.

During their walk to their class, Gwen was mentally jumping with joy at the chance to spend time with Peter.

' _WOHOO!'_

* * *

 _ **A/N: Well, here's chapter 1. To be honest, I don't know what Marine boot camp or the recruiting process is like but someday I'll go through it since I want to join. This fic has been in my head for a long time so I had to get it out since it's costing me sleep. Yes, you can join the military at age 17 with the consent of your parents. It is slightly AU but with a mix of SSM (Spectacular) and the comics (In which I shamefully admit read a few :( )I made Peter's parents and Uncle Ben U.S Marines, with Uncle Ben being a retired one. Hopefully, you all know what happens to Peter at a Oscorp or ESU field trip. Peter isn't aware that his Uncle was a former U.S Marine but he will find out soon. Liz Allan, Sally Avril, Glory, Kenny, and the rest will make themselves known in the second chapter. Again, I did not make this fic to disrespect our military, I simply was curious as to how Spider-Man would turn out to be if he were to join the military. By the way, Aunt May was not in the military.**_

 _ **Review and give me your opinion on this fic. Favorite and Follow for more while being updated on...well updates. See you next chapter!**_


	2. KIA

_**`A/N: I'm so sorry that I didn't update this in almost two months. I might work on another chapter for this, but I have a knack for being lazy. Without further ado, let's dive into the chapter.**_

 _ **Note: You may have noticed a change in the title. I feel like that is better than Spider-Man: OOH RAH!**_

 _ **Please review and leave your thoughts in the review section. Maybe help me become a successful author on the fanfiction website. It would be appreciated! :)**_

 _ **DISCLAIMER: I don't own Spider-Man or any other characters used in this story. They belong to Marvel which in turn belongs to Disney. If I offend those who have a family member in the military, I apologize. This isn't meant to disrespect, but rather entertain, honor, and somewhat educate.**_

 _Midtown High School: History class…_

' _Mess with the best, die like the rest.'_ Peter repeated in his mind. It was a phrase that suited the Marines well, but worked perfectly for the special forces. He, along with several other students, were idly sitting, listening to the History teacher explain the slideshows he was presenting on the smartboard. The subject was World War II as it was the last subject to be taught in the History class given it was near the end of the year. Peter payed close attention because his teacher was explaining about the battle of Okinawa with a black and white picture of two Marines equipped with an M1 Thompson submachine gun. One was standing, taking aim while the other was crouching, keeping his head low. The whole class looked bored save for Peter.

"As you can see, two Marine combatants are in this photo. During the battle more than twenty thousand U.S Marines were killed, unfortunately. The U.S suffered over eighty-two thousand casualties. An estimation of about one-hundred-ten thousand Japanese soldiers were killed—not wounded, but killed. It was by far the bloodiest battles the U.S had ever took part in World War II."

Students either had their heads on their desk, eyes on their phone, sleeping, or conversing with one or two. The teacher took notice of that and frowned. He cleared his throat loud enough to startle everyone. Gwen and Harry almost jumped from their seat. Flash, Liz, Kenny, Randy, and Sally looked rather annoyed.

"If I would've know any better I would assume that you all have no respect for the brave men and women serving in our country's military." The teacher said in a strict tone, sending a glare to the whole class.

"But, Mr. Rome," Flash whined. "It's so boring and dull. What do we even learn? Can we learn about today's history? Like sports history. The first man to do...whatever."

The teacher, Mr. Rome, gave Flash Thompson a glare. He folded his arms and looked at the whole class in dismay.

"Yeah," Sally agreed in her shrill voice. "Nothing but some old people doing stuff. Why should we care about who's in the military and why it's important?"

At this, Peter's anger rose, but he didn't show it. Sally clearly didn't know what losing two parents in Afghanistan. Being reminded of his parents also drew his spirits down, but fueled his determination to serve in the Corps much like his parents did.

"Do you know how much our soldiers in the military sacrifice?!" Mr. Rome half-yelled as if he were offended by Sally Avril's comment. Multiple students were startled by his voice raising.

"Booooring." Liz drawled out in boredom.

"Just some boring stuff we're learning about the past." Kenny both remarked and agreed.

"It's kind of rude to say something like that to the people who serve our country," Glory said with a deep frown.

"Yeah," Randy agreed with a nod.

"Fine," Mr. Rome huffed in resignation. "Perhaps I should jump forward to the modern era of wars for a brief moment."

This caused the whole class to cheer, but not a whole lot. Peter caught Mr. Rome's eye. The teacher gave Peter a brief look of sympathy, confusing him.

"Hey, hear that?" Harry nudged Peter with his elbow. Peter turned to look at Harry in confusion. "We're finally learning something interesting for once in history."

"I usually find everything in history interesting." Gwen chimed in.

"Whatever. I expected that from you anyway." Harry said, offending Gwen.

"Excuse me?" She asked in an aggravated tone.

"Ooh, you just made the biggest mistake of your life, Harry." Mary Jane laughed softly.

"Mr. Parker?" Mr. Rome called, causing Peter to divert his attention to Mr. Rome. "May I ask you something?" He motioned for him to come up. Peter looked around the classroom and noticed that everyone was giving him a strange look. Flushed, he meekly nodded.

"Ooh, someone's in trouble..." Harry whispered in a sing-song voice.

Peter rolled his eyes once he heard that comment. Approaching the teacher, he was once again confused.

"Yes, Mr. Rome?" He said politely. Peter saw hesitation in the teacher's green eyes, confusing him further.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, words were finally produced from Mr. Rome.

"...I know about your parents, Peter." He whispered softly. Peter's spirits were brought even lower, but he became angry this time.

"Why-"

"I'm sorry if I offended you," He apologized in a soft voice. "But, it seems that the students of this generation have no respect for the man and women who protect our country."

Mr. Rome's gaze landed upon Flash, watching him laugh obnoxiously with the other jocks in the classroom.

"Yes," He growled in agreement.

"I just wanted to ask if you would like to share about your parents? I believe they'd understand more from you. Maybe they might finally come to realize of how much the men and women who protect our country sacrifice. You don't have to, but I just wanted you to know."

Peter thought about this offer long and hard. Thinking about his parents always brought a pang of sadness. He could barely remember anything he and his parents had shared, like playing baseball or getting ice cream. It truly was sad. He turned to look at the students situated around the classroom. All of them were in a conversation of short and some were goofing around. His eyes landed upon his three real friends. They were carefully observing him from their seat.

' _If I do this then everyone will know that my parents are gone forever. But, at the same time, they'll learn to respect the military.'_ He thought.

After much contemplation, Peter turned to face the teacher. Peter slowly nodded as if he were reluctant.

"I'll do it," He mumbled softly.

"Are you sure?" His teacher carefully asked.

He nodded, looking down at the tiled floor of the classroom.

"Alright," Mr. Rome nodded before shouting, "Everyone may I have your attention?"

For good measure, Mr. Rome brought two fingers to his mouth and whistled loud enough to cease all chatter and horseplay that occurred around the classroom. People hastily returned to their seats and everyone payed attention. Something that was rare in Mr. Rome's classroom. It was silent.

"Mr. Parker would like to share something interesting with you all."

"What?" Flash laughed. "Don't tell me it's going to be some boring math equation or something to do with science."

Flash's remark earned some snickers around the classroom. They knew that Peter was a bookworm. Harry, Gwen, and MJ turned to glare at the jock.

"Eugene," Mr. Rome began, and already Flash's eyes were wide in fear. Immediately, everyone laughed.

"Eugene!?" Harry Osborn roared with laughter. "Really?! Oh, man. That has to be the funniest name!" Harry slapped his knee in the midst of his laughter. Even Flash's own friends quietly laughed. Even his girlfriend, Liz Allan. Flash took the time to glare at every single human in the classroom.

"Mr. Parker has something to share that is related to our nation's military. Hopefully from this you'll all hopefully learn to respect our men and women on the front lines."

"Pfft, what does Puny Parker have to share?" Sally scoffed. "All he ever shares is something that is totally uninteresting and boring."

"Like Petey has anything interesting to say, anyway." Liz Allan added, agreeing with Sally.

At this, Peter looked crestfallen, but he was still determined to continue. The class began to murmur in agreement.

"ENOUGH!" Mr. Rome barked, instantly shutting the class up. "Now, will you please pay attention to what Mr. Parker is going to say?"

"Welp," Kenny began. "Time to get ready for my nap." He yawned, gaining another round of snickers. After a few moments, the class was dead silent with all eyes focused on Peter.

Peter was flushed under their gazes. It wasn't everyday that everyone finally paid attention to him. The teacher returned to his desk where his computer was stationed and connected to the smart board. It still baffled Peter that the school didn't upgrade their computers from windows 7 to windows 10.

He looked up to the whole class. He felt the watchful eyes of several students and the concerned eyes of his friends. Flash, Liz, Sally, and Kenny looked bored.

"H-Hi guys," He stuttered, pushing his glasses up to his nose. "Uh..."

"Ugh," Sally groaned impatiently. "Will you spit it out!?"

The anger and frustration within Peter boiled ten times over. He was about to shout back at Sally and tell her to shut her trap. But, Mr. Rome had beat him to it. Peter was disappointed that Mr. Rome didn't use any words that would hurt Sally.

"Ms. Avril. Please, be quiet." He growled.

Sally Avril mumbled curses under her breath. She returned her attention back to Peter.

Peter had to breathe in through his nose and exhale through his mouth to calm himself before he lost his cool. He was really tired with putting up with Flash's, Liz's, Kenny's, and Sally's crap. After repeating it for four times, he looked at the classroom with fierce determination.

"Well, where do I start?" He sighed in the silent classroom.

"Maybe you can start at the end!" Flash joked with an exaggerated laugh. As always, the people snickered for Midtown's resident bully and football star.

This time, Peter lost his cool. All the anger and frustration that was welling inside had finally came out like an eruption of a volcano.

"FLASH, SHUT UP! JUST SHUT UP!" Peter screamed, releasing his rage. The class was startled by his outburst especially Flash, his friends, and Peter's own friends. Peter glanced to the teacher desk in fear of being sent away, but all he saw was a satisfied smirk from Mr. Rome.

"Geez," Flash muttered with a frown, leaning backwards in his seat.

Peter, with his fists clenched, breathed in and out to calm his nerves once again. Soon, Peter was calm and decided to go straight to the point.

"As I was saying," Peter continued, suddenly feeling uncomfortable and crestfallen. He knew that what he was about to say would bring up bad memories. That fateful day at the cemetery. The funeral, the many men and women dressed in their Marine uniforms, the salute…

"M-My Mom and Dad, Richard and Mary Parker, served for the United States Marine Corps." He finally revealed, surprising everyone in the class.

"Say what now?" Liz exclaimed in surprise. The class began to murmur and Peter waited until they settled down. As he waited, Gwen, Mary Jane, and Harry looked at Peter with wide eyes.

"Parker's lying!" Flash yelled in accusation. Some agreed while others disagreed with Flash. Peter could tell that they were swayed into agreeing with Flash due to his popularity. He couldn't blame them. How could a geek—a bookworm-be a child of two disciplined U.S Marines.

To the confusion of Peter, the class had instantly settled down into a state of silence. He looked at everyone of them, including his friends, and noticed that their eyes were glued to something behind them. Most had wide eyes of shock and disbelief. Slowly turning around to face the object or subject of interest, Peter backpedaled by what he saw on the smartboard.

His mom, Mary and his dad, Richard. They were in their dress blues. His father had the stripes of the rank _Gunnery Sergeant_ on the upper shoulder of his blues. Mary Parker had the insignia of _Captain_ directly on her shoulder close to the crook of her neck.

"Mom...Dad..." Peter whispered, gazing at the picture of his smiling parents. The image only took about a quarter of the screen. Below was a caption to the image. Near the end of it there seemed to be more and a video of some sort. The caption read ' **Gunnery Sergeant Richard Parker. Colonel Mary Parker.'**

Peter was confused. Wasn't his mother a Captain? He reread it over and over to make sure his eyes weren't deceiving him. It was still there. He didn't know his mom was a Colonel. He chalked it up as bad memory since he couldn't remember the...funeral that well. Peter read below the caption. The text was slightly small, but he could read it. Though, it seemed as if Mr. Rome decided to read it to the whole class, starting with the caption.

"Gunnery Sergeant Richard Parker. Colonel Mary Parker." He read, letting the students in the classroom to look at the picture of Peter Parker's parents. From his computer, Mr. Rome looked right at Peter.

"Would you like to read this to the class, Peter?" He asked. He used his first name instead of his last name. Peter heard sincerity and nodded without a second thought. He hoped the article, which was on the Marines website based on the URL, would provide some information on as to why his mom was a Colonel. It gave Peter a sense of pride once he saw the article was on the ' **Honoring those who we lost'** __section. Even he didn't know that was there. Though, Peter wondered why there was an article dedicated to his parents specially. It's not like they were special, right?

Peter read aloud, "Richard Parker was born on July 12, 1970. Mary Parker was born on February 15, 1971. Joining the corps at the age of 19, Richard proved that he was more than up to the task. He was obedient, dedicated, and intelligent in his own way. Richard Parker proved to be a natural leader among his fellow Marines, quickly climbing his way up the rank ladder. In 1990, Richard had obtained the rank of Staff Sergeant. He was the first to obtain the rank in a four-year period and the quickest. After obtaining the rank Sergeant, Parker was immediately sent to the Persian Gulf, making it his first tour. Mary Parker joined at the age of twenty one after earning her bachelor's degree and commissioned as an officer. She proved to be an extraordinary leader and extremely intelligent, resulting in promotions."

Mr. Rome scrolled the page to continue, and Peter continued his reading with interested eyes watching.

"In 1995, Mary had achieved the rank of Major after her four years of service, starting in 1991. This made her the first officer to reach the rank of Major in the shortest time. She, like Richard, was dedicated to serving the Corps. Both were natural leaders and the first time they met was on a mission in 1997. From there, the Major and Sergeant grew closer together. In late 1997, Richard proposed marriage to Mary. Soon, in January 1998, Richard and Mary had gotten married. Then, in July 4th of that same year..." Peter paused, knowing what was coming up. July 4th. That was his birthday. The teacher scrolled down more to allow Peter to read more of the article to the whole class.

He continued. "In January 1998 of that same year, both Richard and Mary had a son named..." Peter paused, feeling a bit surprised to see his name on the board, especially on an article. Did that make him famous?

Either way, Peter continued. "Both Richard and Mary had a son named...Peter Parker. Unfortunately, their son had to stay with Richard's brother Ben Parker and his wife May Parker on several occasions. Ben Parker, Richard's brother, had also served in the Corps and reached the rank of—WHAT!?" Peter exclaimed in pure shock of what he was seeing. How did he not know this? His uncle Ben served in the Marines and uncle Ben hadn't told him? It wasn't that fact that shocked him. It was the rank his Uncle Ben had reached. And serving for ten years?! He'd imagine it would take much dedication, time, and work to reach that high of a rank.

The whole class, along with the teacher, looked on in confusion. Everyone was surprised that Peter could hold their attention on such a subject.

"Something wrong, Mr. Parker?" Mr. Rome asked curiously.

"Yo, Parker! What's going on? Read more!" Kenny shouted with others agreeing.

"Shh!" He hushed them all in a harsh manner. The son of Richard and Mary Parker squinted his eyes to make sure his eyes weren't deceiving him...again.

' _Nope, still there.'_

"But that's...that's insane!" Peter exclaimed in awe.

"Yo, what's so interesting?" Flash asked, curious. This was definitely more interesting than old history lessons.

"My uncle...he reached the rank of First Sergeant within ten years! Incredible!" He marveled.

"What now?" A student asked, bewildered much like the rest of the class.

"First Sergeant," Peter began to explain. "E-8 or Enlisted 8. Just one more promotion would take him Master Gunnery Sergeant, E-9. Sergeant Major is in the E-9 pay-grade as well, but I'm not too sure on how that system works."

"Speak English, Parker." Sally said in annoyance with a roll of her eyes.

"What I'm saying is that my Uncle reached a very high rank in a short amount of time: 10 years. Is that simple enough for you to understand?" Peter retorted, causing Sally to make a face of offense.

"Why you little-!"

"Ms. Avril! Please," The teacher silently told her to lay off and focus. Sally did so begrudgingly.

"Anyway," Peter finally got over his shock. He cleared his throat and continued reading the article, starting to mumble, "Then, in late July, 2003, Richard and Mary were deployed in...Afghanistan." Peter's voice lowered to a soft whisper. He could practically feel the flashback. The child of the two recognized Marines stopped to collect his composure. Of course, with what's being presented to him he couldn't help but tear up. He didn't need to continue to read the rest of the tribute article to know what happened to his parents; he was emotionally weak. Too weak to finish, settling to hesitantly read the rest, though he refused to read aloud.

Flash was about to call out, but, as fast as lightning, Mr. Rome gave a nasty look directed at Flash. The football player decided to bite his tongue instead.

Mary Jane, Harry, and Gwen looked on in worry. It wasn't everyday that Peter froze. Gwen, out of the three, looked the most worried. Perhaps it was her infatuation with Peter-which developed over the course of their friendship-that affected her feelings immensely.

Liz looked on in curiosity, squinting her eyes to see the article. Thanks to Peter, she was unable to read all the information that was currently displayed on the board. Though, she was able to catch bits and pieces such as the words _KIA, POW, Rescued, Honored, and Crash._ The supposed acronyms made no sense to the Latina cheerleader, but she supposed that whatever was on the board was affecting Peter Parker emotionally.

Sally, like Flash, bit her tongue due to Mr. Rome giving her a dirty look as she was about to call Peter out in a not-so friendly way. Sighing, the blonde chose to lean forward and squint her eyes to get a good look at what was on the board. Like Liz, she managed to catch bits and pieces of words. The acronyms that she caught were not common knowledge to her, so she chalked it up as something unimportant.

Peter, after reading the last bit of the article, was frozen. He didn't know that his childhood memory was that bad. Bad enough to forget the funeral, but that wasn't a big deal compared to this. His Dad fought in Afghanistan and was KIA or Killed In Action. Sad, really, but it also brought a sense of pride. According to the article, Richard Parker had died with honor. He had disobeyed direct orders and decided to rescue four dozen POWs. His Lone Wolf operation went on without a hitch, rescuing every American soldier that was held in captivity. However, he unfortunately took several bullet wounds to his torso, one even managing to hit his lung based on an autopsy report. Details were classified on what had happened for him to die which was weird. His death date was August 8, 2003, in which Peter miraculously still remembered.

Then there was his mother, Mary Parker. Based on the article, she was promoted to colonel months before her deployment, answering his question. She had died later than her husband; September 5th, 2003. Apparently, his mother died of an explosion, saving ten of the fifteen men that was with her. Peter felt...betrayed. Had his uncle lied to him? Or was it because their deaths were so long ago that the details were a bit sketchy in his mind. He didn't know.

"M-May I...go to the restroom, Mr. Rome?" Peter asked in a soft voice, shutting his eyes close to prevent the tears from pouring out of his eyes. Despite that, tears managed to leak.

Mary Jane, Harry, and Gwen looked on in alarm, but Gwen looked the most concerned. The class watched Peter slowly leave the classroom with his palm covering his face much to their confusion. Surprisingly, the door closed without a sound; usually it would slam and make a booming sound.

"Perhaps this wasn't a good idea," Mr. Rome muttered to himself.

With Peter out of the way, the whole class immediately began to read the article concerning Peter's parents. However, just as fast, the web page closed with a few groans of disappointment.

"Yo, Mr. Rome! Put it back on!" Flash demanded. Other students agreed with Flash as they too were curious.

Mr. Rome gave Flash a hard stare for what seemed like forever. He shook his head in disappointment.

"It...does not concern you, Mr. Thompson." The teacher said. "In fact, it is very personal for Mr. Parker. It is his decision if he chooses to share it with you or not."

Liz scoffed and rolled her eyes. "Sure it's personal."

"I am serious, Ms. Allan." Mr. Rome clarified, raising his voice.

"All I saw was some words. _KIA_ , _POW,_ and _rescued._ You mind telling me what the first two mean?" Liz asked in irritation.

"Yeah," Sally agreed. "I saw those words too. What the hell do they mean?"

Again, Mr. Rome stared at them for a few moments before conceding.

"Fine," He sighed. "If you wish to know those acronyms then so be it. KIA is quite simple: Killed In Action."

Almost the whole class gasped in realization.

Gwen spoke with much reluctance. "Y-You mean…?"

"I cannot confirm or deny your assumption." The adult declared. "However, it is up to Mr. Parker."

Gwen's heart sank. Over the course of their close friendship, Peter had never mentioned his parents. It is likely that he still hasn't gotten over their deaths. She could understand. A death of a loved one always affected someone. Even the most hardened people. Not everyone was that cold-hearted.

Harry and Mary Jane turned to Gwen for answers.

"W-What does that mean? So...Pete's parents died?" Osborn asked, fearing for the answer he was about to receive.

"...Is that true?" Mary Jane asked.

"...Maybe." Gwen replied hesitantly.

"We should...confront him, you know?" Harry suggested.

"Yeah," Mary Jane agreed. "I can't imagine what he's going through."

Both turned to look at Gwen for her answer. Gwen stared at her hands with a million thoughts running around in her mind. She questioned if it was best for her-them-to confront Peter. However, her infatuation for Peter affected the amount of worry she felt for Peter, therefore her decision was final.

"Yes," Gwen nodded. "Let's go...see Peter." She finished with determination.

"Mr. Rome!" Harry called his attention. "Can we...uh, can we…"

Said teacher eyed the trio skeptically, raising an expectant eyebrow. Harry nudged his head to the door, unsure of what to say. Gwen and Mary Jane helped by giving a pleading look to Mr. Rome.

Mr. Rome contemplated on whether to allow them to leave and probably help the poor lad. He knew the history of the young Parker; being bullied, teased, and being the laughing stock. He sincerely wished that the boy was alright. He doubted that a teacher could help, but maybe friends can.

With an exhausted sigh, Mr. Rome nodded in confirmation. Harry released his breath, sighing in relief. He soon stood up from his seat with the two girls following suit. They made their way to the door. The students looked on with curious expressions.

Harry opened the door and allowed the two young women to exit before him. As soon as Gwen was the last one out, Harry followed them. Once they were sure the door slammed shut with a booming sound they began to rush towards the restroom in hopes of catching Peter.

' _Peter, I hope you're alright. I'm coming…'_ Gwen thought, hoping to comfort and perhaps hold him.

Liz watched the door, expecting something-anything-to happen at the moment. After a whole minute of staring at the door, she gave up completely. She made the conclusion that Peter's parents weren't around because they died serving their country. She can't imagine what it felt like to lose your biological parents along with the constant bullying and harassment that she and many others caused. Liz suddenly felt like crap. Was it unfair to treat the boy like that-was it wrong? She frowned, feeling guilty and ashamed of herself. How was she going to get far in life if she kept up her charade? For god sakes, she's almost a senior. Just one week away until summer, then three more months until she officially begins her senior year. Liz didn't want to be that one girl who didn't go to college and wind up in McDonalds or Wendys just to pay the bills despite her rich background. Sooner or later she wanted to be an independent women; not wanting to rely on her family's wealth. She was very confident that Peter would be able to get into any college in the country-not that she's worried about him, right?

"So," Sally crept beside her. "I'm confused on what happened. How does KIA and POW tie in with Parker's breakdown?"

Liz scowled, disliking her fellow cheerleader's attitude.

"Sally," She scolded with a hint of displeasure. "Take this seriously."

"What?"

"How would you feel if you lost your parents?" Liz asked.

Sally suddenly became meek and shy, something that was uncommon-rare perhaps.

"...I would feel like shit," She answered, imagining if her parents were forever gone in her life the next day.

"That's exactly what's going on with Peter, Sal."

"...Going by the geek's first name, huh?"

"I'm serious!" Liz hissed. "I think we should back the hell off of him. He doesn't deserve. I'm starting to think we deserve it." Liz admitted.

"Liz," Sally tsked. "Geeks like Parker don't deserve anything. Not the air we breathe, not the floors we walk on, nothing."

"So, segregation?" Liz asked with a slight growl. She wasn't pleased with her friend's attitude.

"I'd actually like that," Sally nodded with a smile that pissed Liz off further.

"So, you want to segregate our ethnicities next, huh?"

"Uh, ethnicities? Did you just slam your head on nerd 101?"

"Oh my god," Liz gave out an exasperated sigh. "Segregating our races-our skin color!"

"...Oh," Sally said, slowly feeling ashamed. "I-I'm sorry. I didn't mean to..."

"Jesus, Sally. You would fit in real nice in the 50's. Next thing you'll want is for Parker to die the most horrible death ever."

"No!" Sally denied, furiously shaking her head. "I don't want...him to die. It's just...well, I can't explain it."

"Well, you seem like you want him to die. Maybe do it yourself, even." Liz commented.

"I wouldn't want to kill someone! It's just…"

"Just what, exactly?" Liz arched her brow.

"Um…"

"No, you're kidding, right?" Disbelief spread across the face of Liz Allan.

"...What?" Sally blurted out in confusion.

"You...like him?"

"WHAT!?" Sally exclaimed, bringing attention to them. Students gave her looks. She returned with a harsh glare that got their motor running. Those under her glare immediately went back to discussing the ' _Parker'_ topic.

"I don't like him," Sally said, clarifying it by crossing her arms and giving out a huff.

"You sure?" Liz asked incredulously.

"I'm sure." Sally half-lied. It may be...somewhat true that she was interested in Peter. She did her best to squash that feeling down, though she could never find the strength to for some odd reason. It was just...lately Parker had this charm that, well, attracted her. It was odd, but she knew that she handled her crushes in an odd way. Mostly by bad-mouthing them and act like they were the most disliked person on the face of the Earth. She feared it was a phenomenon of some sort; something that will just appear randomly and disappear later, but she preferred it disappear soon.

"Alright, then. Whatever floats your boat." Liz shrugged.

Peter glared at his reflection in the mirror, hands firmly holding the edges of the sink. As soon as he came here, he had cried his eyes out for only a minute before gaining his composure once more. How was he going to join the Marines if he cried? He was sure-oh very sure-that the Marines won't accept someone who cries all the time. Not that he thought of himself as a crybaby. He expected that Marines would cry when approached on a personal matter, so Peter made this an exception. The Marines only accept the best of the best. Hell, Peter doubted that Flash or any other jock could complete boot camp. The image that popped in his mind was hilarious: Flash crying as three drill instructors ganged up on him and screamed into his face like banshees.

Peter began chuckling, bringing out a smile. Though, all good things must come to an end. In this case, the form of a knock to the restroom door.

"Pete," A muffled voice was heard outside the door. "It's me, Harry. Gwen, MJ, and I are outside. You alright?"

Peter could practically feel the concern they held. A ghost of a smile came and went, truly appreciating their feelings of concern. He knew it was hard to find friends that were genuinely concerned for him.

' _Wait a minute,'_ Peter thought. Worry began to creep up and take shelter in his mind. ' _Did he say Gwen and MJ?'_

 _ **A/N: Hey, sorry for the late update. I apologize again, but I'm not the kind of author who updates frequently. It's because I'm lazy (Go ahead, hate me) and I play various games on my computer. I sincerely hope this was enough to satisfy you all. I'm still a new author and story writing is a new territory for me. I feel like all my stories are boring, but you all seem to enjoy it.**_

 _ **Anyway, by Chapter 4, Peter will go through the toughest boot camp the military has to offer.**_

 _ **Also, I had another idea that came of this. Instead of Peter becoming a Marine, Peter will have had already become an ODST (Orbital Drop Shock Trooper) in a Spider-Man and Halo crossover. (If I decide to do it) If you are interested, then keep a look out for it. I plan, in this story, that Peter gets sent to the Marvel universe with the weapons and armor on his back. However, the Peter in that universe hasn't been bit yet so he will still be in his eary high school years.**_

 _ **P.S: Liz, Sally, Randy, Glory, Flash, and Kenny are Spectacular Spider-Man version in case you were wondering.**_

 _ **See you later. :)**_


	3. Ride the Short Yellow Bus Home, Soldier

_**A/N: Seems fitting to update this on 4th of July. I don't know why.**_

 _ **DISCLAIMER: I don't own anything.**_

 ** _Props to those who could figure out the reference in the chapter title. Hint: it's a dialogue said by a Marine in a video game. PM me if you want to answer._**

* * *

 _Midtown High School:_

Peter was embarrassed and a bit ashamed that Gwen and MJ had to see him in such a weak state. Harry, he could understand. Gwen and MJ? It just felt weird to him to see Gwen and MJ come out of their way and console him. He didn't mind, but he was pretty sure his pride was nonexistent by now.

Shifting his arm bashfully, Peter uttered, "Thanks, you guys."

Harry stepped forward and gently clapped his shoulder in reassurance. "We're always here for you, buddy." His smile that soon followed eased Peter's mind.

"We couldn't leave a friend in need," Gwen added, brushing her blonde locks away from her baby blue eyes.

Peter was sure there was a faint blush that appeared on Gwen's pale cheek, but he dismissed the idea entirely, chalking it up as his imagination.

"No thanks needed, Tiger," MJ said, nodding.

By the time that was done, Peter and his three other friends stepped off campus as the school day came to a close earlier. The only good thing that came from Peter's embarrassing situation was solitude. Besides his best friends, Flash and everyone else present during the scene left Peter alone. It was nice to know that Flash and his followers could act human for once.

Peter's eyes scanned the area for his bus, anxious to get home. Maybe his Aunt and Uncle had finally made their decision. A decision that, hopefully, will land Peter in Parris Island in the upcoming summer.

Peter turned to his friends with a grateful look. "Thanks, guys. I, uh, wouldn't know what I would do without you."

"No problem," The three replied in unison, prompting them to look at each other questioningly. Though, their laughs soon followed, finding the synchronization hilarious.

Peter just smiled at the spectacle. "I gotta get home. My bus and all." He rolled his head in the direction of an ordinary yellow school bus. In random intervals, students could be seen climbing up the steps into the soon-to-be packed vehicle.

"Alright," Harry nodded before a teasing look crossed his face. "Just don't be late for tomorrow, okay? It's, y'know, the big day." He rolled his eyes with a humorous smile.

"Right," Peter nodded. "I'm gonna go—"

MJ butted right in, holding her school materials close to her chest. Peter barely prevented himself from blushing, but he was sure there was a tint. "Don't forget about me, Tiger."

Oh. How could he forget? Mary Jane was his next-door neighbor, so they rode the same bus.

"Oh, uh...yeah." Peter silently hoped that boot camp and the DIs could fix his personality. Surely three months of Marine boot camp was enough to set and harden his personality so that he wouldn't act like such a fool in front of his friends. Peter always thought that his character was unfit for the Leathernecks, but he had to try despite his obviously flawed personality.

"Let's go," Peter mumbled before making his way towards his designated bus. He was pretty sure MJ stayed behind just to say her final goodbyes to Gwen and Harry before catching up to Peter.

Peter boarded the bus, as usual, cautiously minding the steps. Once or twice he'd trip or slip on those monsters and raise laughter from his supposed peers. He always made sure to never make the same mistake. Mary Jane followed closely but didn't seem to mind the steps. It was only Peter Parker that had the misfortune of succumbing to the clutches of the dreaded school bus steps.

Peter quickly scanned the bus' occupants. Luckily, Peter and MJ had arrived early. They always made sure to finish whatever business they needed to attend once that final bell rung. Their past experiences of riding the school bus had given them an insight of what was recommended. Showing up too late can result in sitting next to strangers or the back of the bus.

Peter made sure to find a completely empty seat relatively close to the front of the bus before claiming it with MJ sitting beside him shortly after. He once made the mistake of sitting in the back so that he would be left alone. That backfired since Flash and a couple of his friends always sat back there. How they could stand the heat that Peter was sure was close to hell, he didn't understand.

MJ set down her items on her lap before fishing her back pocket for her smartphone. Peter wasn't so lucky to have been graced with such mobile technology. All he had was a dull and bland cell phone—not a smartphone, but a cell phone. It was a slider phone, and Peter didn't dare to bring it out in school. He was sure he was going to be teased by his friends and outright ridiculed by everybody else.

Everyone else didn't know it, but Peter's lack of smartphone was more or a less a compromise. He'd been presented with two options by his Aunt and Uncle. With the extra funds they had, Peter had no idea where or how they obtained them, Peter was given to choice to either buy a beefy PC, but he could only get a cell phone. The other option was the opposite whereas he was able to buy a smartphone, but could only have an outdated and junky PC.

Obviously, Peter picked the option behind curtain number one: strong PC, but boring cell phone.

Peter mildly paid attention to MJ who was browsing their her multiple social media accounts. Peter couldn't quite understand how someone could have access to their accounts spread across multiple social media platforms. How could they remember their password? Would their email be littered with spam?

Mary Jane snorted as she regarded what was displayed on the screen in slight disgust. The bus had started moving earlier, and Peter lacked the strength to ground himself in his seat when the bus made its turns. This resulted in the right portion of his body softy colliding with Mary Jane—who didn't seem to mind—before forcing himself to take up his original position. After years of riding the same bus as MJ, she still tolerated that.

When Mary Jane made that same sound of annoyance—or disgust, Peter didn't know—he curiosity got the best of him. Subtly leaning over, Peter looked at what was displayed on Mary Jane's smartphone. As soon as he saw it, Peter regretted that he ever peaked as his blush appeared and covered his cheeks.

"That's Felicia Hardy," Mary Jane suddenly said bitterly, shaking Peter from his stupor. Peter's blush deepened as the situation set in.

"S-Sorry for looking." He turned his head in the opposite direction, trying to rid his mind of the image he saw.

"It's okay." She appeared nonchalant, not minding of his actions. "Just...god, she gets on my nerves when she posts pictures like this on her Instagram."  
Was that one of the social media platforms? Peter didn't bother surfing the web on his computer to study such sites. He was pretty sure that if he made a social media account he was bound to get ridiculed.

"D-Does she go here?" Peter questioned unconsciously, rubbing his hand nervously. He never knew that such... _revealing_ images exist on social media nowadays. Soon enough they were going to turn into a por—

"Yeah." She unintentionally interrupted his line of thought. Peter welcomed the interruption, not sure why his mind decided to take that route. "Luckily, you don't have any classes with her." She made a bitter face, clearly showing her dislike of the girl.

"...Strange hair," Peter quietly commented, shifting his gaze to the window to his left and observing objects pass at incredible speeds.

"Platinum blonde, if you didn't know." She continued to swipe up on her phone, occasionally double tapping the screen.

Peter didn't know how much time passed. He just stared outside the window as several things went and go in a blur due to the speed at which they are traveling. Once in a while, during the ride, he'd barely hear MJ quietly laugh or grunt since there were multiple conversations were taking place on the bus.

Eventually, MJ came around and almost shoved her phone right in Peter's face just to show him something. Peter's eyes would read what was displayed on the screen and tried to understand what the meaning was behind the picture accompanied by black text planted on top of a white background above the image.

"I don't get it," he shrugged, his eyes shifting towards Mary Jane.

For her part, she looked shocked. "What?!" She pulled her phone back as if Peter was some sort of virus that her phone could contract.

"I don't get it," he repeated with a puzzled expression.

"How can you not get it? It's a meme!" She showed Peter the image that was displayed on the screen once more. "Get it, now?" She moved the phone much closer.

Again, Peter reread the text and the image below it and paid close attention.

It read: _When the teacher leaves the cursor on the play bar so it can't disappear_

The image below—or he should say two images—took up most of the space of the image. Confusing, but Peter could still understand. Barely, though. The image was the oh-so-familiar bar that always appeared on the board where the projector...well, projected when the teacher set up the video. Below that was a fairly large image of a closeup of the renowned character _Squidward Tentacles_ from his—and he was sure others as well—childhood TV show _Spongebob Squarepants_. The big nose was prominent and so were the red widened eyes. There was a line of text that read: " _Move the mouse_ " in Squidward's image. Looking it over again, Peter still did not understand.

"What?"

"You don't find this funny? Relatable?" She said in mock outrage, retracting her phone once more before she tsked.

"Well, _sorry_ for not understanding. Why is millennial humor so weird these days?"

Mary Jane opened her mouth to make a comment, but at that time the bus chose to completely stop for the third time. A hiss soon accompanied the breaks of the bus whining, indicating that the door to the bus opened.

Some students moved to get up while others stayed for the next destination. This was their stop: Forest Hills, Queens.

Visibly sighing, Mary Jane quickly pulled herself to her feet and blocked the students behind her who were going to disembark with them. She then motioned for Peter to go, making him glare at her.

This was something that Peter loathed doing. It was supposed to be the other way around like his Uncle and Aunt taught him. But, after the first few times he and MJ rode together, she insisted that she took the side closest to the aisle while Peter got drafted to sit beside the window.

"Ladies first," she jested with a smirk. There were a few impatient groans behind her right after she spoke.

Groaning himself, Peter brought himself to his feet and reaffirmed his grip on his bag before moving down the aisle, passing by students who were doodling, on their phones, or listening to their music. He felt MJs presence directly behind him and he found that a bit reassuring.

"Thank you," Peter said gratefully as he disembarked, his words directed towards the old man who drove the bus. Out of the corner of his eye, Peter saw the bus driver give a curt nod in response, appreciating the gesture.

Peter heard Mary Jane utter the same words and he delivered the same response. Peter was a bit miffed that several students who were getting off didn't bother saying a 'thank you' but the bus driver didn't seem to mind. Possibly because this was the way things worked with teenagers nowadays.

Patting Peter's back, she lead the way towards their homes. Peter immediately followed right beside her, taking notice of her hugging her school materials close.

"Why do you girls do that?" Peter asked curiously, eyeing her closely as they walked.

"Do what?" She tucked away a strand of bright red hair, a peculiar expression present.

"That," he pointed at the bundle of items she cuddled, "Why do girls, uh, always hug your stuff close when you're walking?"

She regarded the question with a hint of curiosity as well. A puzzled expression crossed her face. "I really don't know, Peter. It's just...how do I explain it? Natural? Comfortable?"

Peter nodded in agreement. "I think natural fits. Doesn't look like it's comfortable when it's pushed up against your…" he trailed off, blushing for the umpteenth time that day.

"My breasts?" She supplied bluntly, making Peter go dark crimson.

"Y-Yeah." Peter shook his head and avoided eye contact with the girl he most likely had a crush on.

A soft laugh escaped her lips, and Peter was blessed with her comforting yet beautiful smile. "So, what this secret trip that you're planning for the summer that you don't even know if you're going but know how long you're going?"

Peter wished he could tell her the truth — that he was going to be placed on the first bus leading to Paris Island and stay there for a whole three months, undergoing the mysteries and horrors of boot camp — but that would cause problems. Attachments. MJ would be worried sick — and so would Gwen and Harry — he didn't want to burden them. He knew Flash, Liz, Sally, and the rest could care less. But his friends—his best friends would miss him dearly. They would no doubt plan their summer adventure, but he knew that his absence, especially if that absence was because he was in the toughest boot camp, would most certainly distraught them.

So, he replied with an excuse in his most confident voice, "Oh, um, somewhere. Uncle Ben and Aunt May says it's a surprise."

Mary Jane nodded, a smile present that made Peter feel sick and guilty. "Oh, that's nice. Too bad you won't be here with Gwen, Harry, and I, though." Did she look...disappointed? So he wasn't crazy when he noticed.

"Ah, yeah. Um, sorry," he feebly offered, hoping to raise MJ's spirits just a bit.

"It's not a problem, Tiger." His nickname rolled off her tongue in such a way that Peter felt butterflies in his stomach.

"Yeah." He looked away, rubbing the back of his head nervously. It felt so wrong, but he assured himself that it was for their own good. He then made a decision. When he graduated from boot camp he was going to tell them. He could almost picture their faces contorting to shock and betrayal and that made his stomach churn. But...by the time boot camp was over school was ready to start up again.

"Oh, man…" he moaned in despair as they reached their homes.

* * *

 _ **A/N: Short chapter, I know. But I wanted to get this out while it was still the 4th of July. I had little time to work on this due to how tired I was in the past few days, but here it is. Don't worry, follow-up chapter is still a-cookin'. Coming sooner than you expect.**_

 _ **Suggestions: PM pl3x**_

 _ **Constructive criticism: Review pl3x**_

 _ **Comments, concerns, questions: PM pl3x, no review pls. This is so that I can respond to you accordingly.**_

 _ **Happy 4th of July to my fellow Americans [don't worry I'm American] and any others who are not American just ignore this bit.**_


	4. Leatherneck Changes

_Oscorp:_

With a spring in his step and a bright smile, Peter Parker stepped off the bus, eyes sparkling in awe as he took in the massive structure that laid ahead of him. Grumbles and irrelevant conversations followed behind him, but he didn't let that bother him.

"Alright, stay together and refrain from touching anything," their biology teacher, Dr. Warren, informed with a stern look as he lead the group of students towards the entrance.

Peter was as excited as can be. He scanned the crisp and sleek building that was Oscorp from top to bottom. If he had to guess the building was well over one hundred meters in height. Bringing his camera up, Peter snapped a picture of the building and quickly assessed the picture. Deeming the result satisfactory, Peter shut the camera off and dropped it — the neck strap preventing it from hitting the ground — and continued walking with the rest of the class.

Peter felt an elbow nudge his own and turned. "Someone's way too excited," the redhead that was Harry Osborn said with a knowing smirk. "Does that mean…?"

"No." Peter's gaze momentarily shifted towards Mary Jane who was chatting it up with Gwen before sighing and quickened his steps.

Harry easily caught up, a grin replacing his annoying, teasing smirk. "You're avoiding the big elephant in the room, Pete."

"We're not even in a room." Shortly after, a gust of cool air hit Peter as he and the rest of the students entered the remarkable building. "Okay, now we're in a room."

"You promised me you were going to ask MJ…" Harry's expression showed that he looked genuinely hurt and disappointed. Then, there was that pout that Harry displayed to coerce Peter into doing his bidding.

"Not the Os-Pout," Peter groaned, looking away. This gave Peter the chance to really study the room, his eyes glazing over various tables, computers, unfiled documents, and employees scampering around. His eyes focused on a glass containment box that seemed to house several odd-looking spiders. Though, the sight was ripped away when he felt a pair of hands grab his shoulders and shake him like a maraca.

"C'mon, Pete! Ask her!" Harry's voice had dropped in volume as if they were talking about some sort of secret — which, to be fair, was — but Peter played on the cautious side.

"No, Harry!" Peter's volume matched Harry's. "Just—leave me be. I'll ask her," he paused, glancing at Mary Jane laughing before shifting his look to Harry, standing straighter and speaking more firmly, "when the time is right."

Harry seemed to be more insistent and a bit pleading, shaking Peter once more. Peter didn't realize that Harry's hands were still on his shoulders. "The time is right, Pete!"

Students passed by the two whom had stopped and didn't seem to spare a single glance their way. Peter gently grabbed Harry's hands and forced him to relinquish his grip. "No, it's—just, not now. Got a bit on my mind."

Peter was glad that he wasn't lying to one of his best friends for once. He did, in fact, have some things on his mind as of late. After coming home, Peter was met with a grinning Uncle Ben holding Aunt May who looked uncertain. He had told Peter that after considering Peter's request, they were going to allow Peter to enlist in the Marine Corps at the age of seventeen with their consent, of course. As expected, Peter was thrilled and couple that with the Oscorp field trip, Peter was sure that it was his best day yet.

Peter was looking forward to talking to a recruiter with Uncle Ben and go over the details. Today was a Christmas come early for Peter.

Harry slumped in defeat, releasing an audible sigh. His eyes locked onto Peter's. "Last day, then?"

Peter shook his head. Harry continued, "Summer?"

Peter gave the same silent response. "First day?"

Peter hesitated for a moment before giving a shrug. Harry seemed reluctant about accepting a 'maybe' as an answer. After a few seconds, Harry finally nodded in acceptance. "Fine. Just hope that a musclehead beats you to it."

"Mr. Parker, Mr. Osborn," Mr. Warren called out, issuing a silent warning to the two in question.

Peter realized that he and Harry had stayed back and the class was ahead of them, waiting impatiently for them so that the tour could begin. Mary Jane and Gwen seemed to be enjoying their predicament if giggling was any indication.

"We should get going," Peter advised, stepping forward.

"Yeah.

* * *

"I'm home," Peter groggily announced as he shut the door behind him. Aunt May materialized from the kitchen wearing the kitchen mittens that Peter had grown accustomed to. No doubt Aunt May prepared a meal before he and Uncle Ben went out, but Peter just didn't have the appetite — or energy for that matter.

"Peter!" She greeted with a bit of enthusiasm. "Just in time. I've finished my cooking and—"

"I don't feel like eating or...anything right now." His eyes drooped for a second or two.

Aunt May was immediately concerned. "Is something wrong, dear?" She was about to take a hasty step forward but Peter still had the energy to wave her off.

"N-No, no. I'm fine, honestly…"

Peter wasn't sure if she entirely bought that white lie. Her skeptical and unconvinced expression answered that question.

"Hey, sport!" Uncle Ben descended from the stairs, wearing a grin. "Best eat first before we go to the recruiting—"

"Peter doesn't feel too well, Ben." Aunt May stepped closer, dismissing Peter's previous gesture. She took one look at him and her eyes lit up with concern. "My, he's sweating — and your face is red!"

Peter shied away from Aunt May, just now noticing that he did feel a bit warmer than usual. He had been experiencing strange symptoms ever since that spider at Oscorp bit him. It was like a track on repeat: his friends showed the same amount of concern as his Aunt and both weren't easily convinced. "S-Seriously, I'm fine. M-Maybe...I just feel like going to bed right now," his sentence had slowly transformed into quiet and tired mumbles.

Aunt May and Uncle Ben shared a look. Ben was the first to speak. "I guess we could postpone the recruitment thing tomorrow if you don't feel up to it."

May nodded her agreement. "Yes — but are you are sure you don't want to eat?"

Peter sluggishly made his way towards the staircase. "I don't—I'm not hungry…" His words trailed off as he ascended the staircase and disappeared beyond the railings.

Ben Parker tiredly ran a hand through his hair, a solemn expression appearing. "Oh, boy.."

* * *

As soon the door to his room was completely shut, Peter stumbled towards the bed, feeling worse as each second passed. It was like his nerves were on fire — as if something was happening to him. Something changing _inside_ him. He carelessly tossed his glasses towards his dresser before collapsing on the bed. His breathing had become more harbored, his heart accelerating like a treadmill set to highest level. He managed to bring himself upright, facing the ceiling. Without his glasses, all he could really see was a blurry white wall with barely noticeable marks. His hands gripped the bed sheets as he tried to calm himself in hopes of slowing down his heart rate. It was slamming against his chest and he could practically hear it.

Eventually, Peter managed to bring himself under the blankets. He kept tossing and turning, finding it hard to fall asleep even though he was tired. It just didn't make sense, he thought. Though soon enough he had settled on the most comfortable position he could find and slowly his eyelids drooped, encasing his vision in absolute darkness. Then, his breathing slowly evened out, his heart beating in a calm rhythm unlike the constant pounding, and his mind finally faded into a state of rest.

* * *

" _Alright, recruit! Move!"_

Peter found himself being yelled by a typical DI portrayed in the movies. He blinked, taking in the area before him and what situation he was in. The first thing he noticed was the log walls and several men struggling to climb over it. In a different section, others were vaulting over hurdles constructed entirely out of logs. In fact, most of the obstacles on the course — Peter had soon realized that he was in a training course — and Peter was bewildered. Last he recalled he was completely wiped out on his bed.

" _Did you hear me, four eyes?!"_ The Drill Instructor suddenly appeared in front of Peter, leaning in close with a stern and mean look. " _Haul ass, buckaroo!"_

Peter naturally responded in a wheeze, " _Aye, sir!"_

Without warning, Peter was shoved by an unknown force into a muddy puddle, grimacing. He'd spat out the unknown substance that had managed to find its way in his temporarily exposed mouth as he brought himself to his feet. Looking up, Peter discovered a wall — which was confusing considering that he'd sworn he'd landed in front of some knocked down hurdles strewn across the land.

To the side, Peter noticed a few men in the USMC fatigues cheering him on. Among them, strangely enough, was also Flash, MJ, Gwen, Aunt May, Uncle Ben, Liz, Sally, and the others. He shuddered as he stared at the group that contributed to his mishappenings at school. Seeing them cheer for him was odd and brought a strange feeling that Peter was unable to explain.

His attention returned to the wall, eyes glazing upwards. Then, he was met with the oddest sight.

Spiders. Freakin' spiders replaced the other recruits attempting to climb the wall — they crawled up on the wall. They weren't any ordinary spider, Peter noted. Each of them were exactly the same, and Peter recognized the colorful design.

The spiders impersonated the same spider that had bit Peter right on the wrist. Instinctively, Peter brought the bitten wrist to eye level and inspected it. The red burning marks of the bite had vanished.

Suddenly, the environment faded away and transformed into that of a woodland area, the sound of a small flowing river barely reaching his ears. The first thing that caught Peter's attention was the time of day: it was dark. Looking around, Peter found himself amongst other recruits looking worse for wear. Some of them were lying up against various tree trunks scattered about and others were simply lying on their backs on the floor, seeming to be catching their breath.

Like a switch had been flipped, exhaustion and fatigue set in Peter. His nostrils simply didn't supply enough air, making him resort to becoming the dreaded mouth breather. Again, like a switch, something heavy suddenly appeared. After his frivolous search, Peter located the source of the mysteriously distributed weight: a backpack. The sudden weight coupled with his fatigue had forced Peter to take a knee and recover.

" _Alright, enough restin'!"_ A hoarse voice announced sharply, " _Get yer' asses up and move out. The_ _ **Crucible**_ _is almost over."_

Peter involuntarily groaned with the other young men. Sleep, a bed, and blankets sounded like dessert to Peter in his state of mind. He was sure the others shared the same idea.

Again, the environment faded away and was replaced with a park that Peter was unfamiliar with. It was dark besides a few lamps placed accordingly to provide light to the path.

" _Will I ever see you again?"_ A feminine voice fondly whispered to his right.

Peter sharply turned in the direction of the source, finding a familiar and ever so beautiful redhead that was Mary Jane Watson. His eyes widened and he was just about to voice his surprise, but he found that he couldn't speak at all — finding that his throat felt dry and a small pain resonated each time he gulped.

Mary Jane suddenly closed into Peter, enveloping him in a firm yet meaningful embrace. " _Will I?"_ There was the feeling of something wet making contact with his dark green shirt; Mary Jane's tears of sadness, perhaps?

Instinctively, Peter raised his arms just high enough and began patting the redhead's back soothingly as she shed her tears into his clothing. Peter caught a glimpse of that same spider standing idly on Mary Jane's shoulders. Certain images of Oscorp, scientists, Norman, DNA helix evaporating and reforming into something new, and general military stuff.

Before everything faded to black, Peter heard a strong voice utter, " _ **Enhanced...soldier."**_

* * *

When Peter was brought out of his slumber, he didn't gasp like most characters did in films to generate the idea that the dream was a nightmare. Instead, his eyes slowly fluttered open, taking in his surroundings as he sat up.

Refreshed. Energized. If Peter was told to use two words that would describe what he felt right now he would use those two. There were no headaches or other strange occurrences like yesterday.

Peter noticed that there were wet splotches on his bed sheets. It was most certainly not a wet dream considering the area of said splotches. Glancing down, Peter caught similar wet areas on his shirt that he was too tired to change out of. He figured he must've been sweating really hard during his intense moment.

He would deal with those minor issues later, he decided. In a few short moments, Peter had already entered the bathroom and didn't even spare a glance at his reflection, intent on taking a much-needed shower.

Five minutes later, Peter dragged himself out of the bath and set out to place toothpaste on his toothbrush. The mirror had fogged up quite a bit and Peter was content with that. He didn't want to spend time looking at his pathetic excuse of a body.

When Peter finished brushing his teeth he eyes unintentionally met the mirror. What he saw made his heart skip a beat or two.

Now that the mirror had time to clear up, Peter was able to see himself. He was no longer greeted with the scrawny and wimpy sight of his torso. Instead, he was met with a new person altogether. One with glistening six-pack abs, defined pecs, and bulging muscles. Though the muscles weren't overboard like some crazy bodybuilders, but it was just enough to catch any girl's attention, he figured.

"Woah…" He marveled, flexing each muscle. His hand came down to his abs and rubbed it over, knocking it once experimentally. "Holy...it's like a rock!"

Then, he noticed the lack of glasses. Funnily enough, he could see perfectly without them now — hell, even better!

Twisting the faucet, Peter gathered up water and splashed his face and looked at his reflection once more. "What the hell…?"

He subconsciously began to rub the spot where the strange spider had bit him. Eventually, Peter cast a look down to the very spot and was surprised to find it healing already; the red burning mark already fading out of existence.

"Was it you?" Peter toyed with the idea in his mind. The idea that the spider that had bitten him had given him these...gifts. Sure, it sounded far-fetched, but it was the only plausible explanation so far. Maybe it was one of those genetically modified spiders that the guide had boasted about — Peter had managed to hear a hushed conversation about a missing spider during the trip.

Uneasiness settled in, nervousness plaguing his mind. As Peter exited the homely bathroom, he silently hoped that there were no other side effects.


End file.
